#post jet

Back in Melbourne after a three day JETAA Oceania conference in Auckland. I learned so much about the inner workings of JETAA and it was fun to reunite with some of my buddies from my time on National AJET.

Translating Western names into Katakana 

Daruma’s Second Eye: 

Reunited after nearly a year and sending letters back and forth to each other as our only way to communicate, it felt so good to see Tomomi again.

I stumbled upon Bar Pretty one night by chance after spending nearly three years walking by it and met Tomomi and then I was hooked and found myself spending every weekend there before I departed Hiroshima. There hasn’t been a Saturday night since leaving Hiroshima where I haven’t felt a homesickness or sense of longing for my favorite bar tender, the abundance of alluring patrons who frequent the establishment and always feeling like I belonged.

Visiting Japan, visiting Hiroshima and even visiting my school over the last weekend has been such an extraordinary and humbling experience

I spent a lot of my three years on JET questioning if I was making enough of a difference at my school and in my local community. I wondered if I’d be remembered by students, non-JTE coworkers and even locals I saw on the daily. Returning after nearly a year I was absolutely floored by the hospitality and generosity I received from the people of Hiroshima.

The priceless reactions of showing up unannounced with a casual “久しぶり” (Long time so see). Returning felt as if no time had passed at all, and conversations picked up right back where we left off previously. The city around us had changed, but the relationships still remained the same. I never realized how lucky I was to call this place my home. I never realized how strong some of the connections I built were, I never realized how Hiroshima really does feel like home.